The Betrayal
by Lady of the Outlaws
Summary: Marian is the niece of Lord Locksley, under threat of marriage she runs away with the devious outlaw Robin Hood and his band. But there is a traitor in their midst, just as Marian starts to settle down the traitor turns her world upside down!
1. Bride to Be

Well hello there, glad you clicked on my story. Anyway, heres a quick summary.

Marian, niece to Lord Locksley discovers a strangers guards beating a young boy. She tries to rescue him and from then young Marian is swept into the rough and unlawful world of the Outlaws. But with a traitor in their midst how long will she survive?

Please Please Please review. (Or my sporks shall eat you!)

I did not come up with most of these characters, but the plot and their personality's are mine. All mine!

Enjoy.

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It was crowded, hot and stuffy. Tall men mixed among young ladies, the men sweating and the women covered in the stench of too powerful perfume. The minute you stepped inside, the sounds and smell's sent your head spinning and your stomach reeling. But I am not talking about a prison or a dungeon, nay. I am talking about my Uncle's hall in the middle of a ball in full swing.

I was forced to smile and curtsey at swaggering, half drunken oafs and endure the high-pitched, annoying voices of my 'companions'. To put i mildly, I was not enjoying myself. But the worst was not over, nay, it had not even begun. If I had known what would happen in the events following, the sorrow that it would cause, I might have run away there and then. But I did not know, and so I was forced to endure.

Amidst the throng of lords and ladies I spotted my uncle with another man, probably some lord or other. I went to turn away when I saw him motioning towards me. I nearly frowned but remembered that he hated it when I did that. He said it would ruin my beauty and I'd have to be beautiful to buy a good price with the young lords. I nodded and made my way through the dancers till I was standing in front of the two men. I curtsied and smiled like a simpering idiot-- it helped if men thought I was stupid. They were more likely to underestimate me. I looked up through my thick eyelashes at the two men. One I knew. He was Lord Locksley, my fathers brother. About the age of fifty he had black hair flecked with grey, a stern look on his face, and cruel eyes that seemed to shine at anybody else's discomfort. I hated him. He was of my kin but I hated him all the same. When my father and mother died in the fire thirteen years ago, when I was three, my uncle had taken me in. Some people would take this as an act of kindness, but I knew better. My mother had been beautiful, or so everyone said. I could not remember her. He hoped I would take after her; then he could 'sell' me to the highest buying Lord.

The other man I did not know. He was younger then my father, but exactly what his age was I could not guess. He had curls of brown hair and green eyes. At first I thought him just another lord but then he smiled at me, and what a smile it was. I felt myself shiver, it was sly and cruel. His features seemed to slip and slither like a snake, and his eyes. Those green emeralds, they watched me. I wanted to turn and run, run as far away as I could from this-- this creature. My uncle must have noticed that something was wrong, for he frowned at me, looking down as he always did.

"This is Marian, my niece and the only child of my dearly departed sister, Caroline Locksley." The green-eyed lord looked me up and down, scrutinizing me. I forced my lip to stop trembling and smiled. "M'lord, I do not think I have had the pleasure." As I looked him in the face he nodded, ever so slightly. "I am Sir Guy of Gisbourne." Then he turned to my father and spoke as if I was not there. "She takes after her mother, quite a beauty." I heard my Uncles sigh if relief. "Marian, Sir Guy is to be your husband."

I heard the words but I did not understand them, I stood staring at them like a half-brained idiot. Luckily, Sir Guy must have thought that it was just my stupid female genes instead of actually horror and repulsion. "My...my husband?" I managed to stammer out. "I..I see. How nice to meet you, M'lord." I smiled again but my stomach was hurling, my mind was in a twirl. "I am no Lord, Lady Marian, I am a knight. Anointed by Prince John, the King's brother." I nodded but I was unable to speak. My Uncle, seeing that I was in shock and afraid that I might say something that would offend Sir Guy quickly dismissed me. I was thankful to be out of their presence, just the thought of being near that monster again repelled me. I glanced round and saw the door in the distance, I had to get out of there. I stumbled through the crowds until I reached the door that led to the courtyard. I started running, down the rows of trees and along the lake that ran through my Uncle's land. Finally I stopped. I flopped down on the cold, wet grass and closed my eyes. How long I lay there, I don't know. But when I opened my eyes again I felt better. My heart had calmed down and I started to think clearly.

One thing I knew was that I could not marry that man, but there was nothing I could do. Not one thing. Carefully I stood up and smoothed my dress out. There was nothing I could do, I was resigned to fate. I made to turn back to our manor, not to go back to the ball but maybe to my room, where I could get some peace and quiet. Suddenly I heard a sound, an ear-splitting cry. I stood frozen. What was that sound? It sounded like an animal howling at the moon, half mad in torment. Another cry, this time I thought I could discern the word; "Help." Animals did not talk, it was a human. Some poor person was in pain!

Without another thought I ran towards the source of the cry. It was not far, it was right by the gates of my Uncle's land. I could see the figures of a few grown-men hitting a smaller person. As I neared I saw that it wasn't a small man, it was a boy! A young boy! I ran forward, shouting for them to stop. They paused and turned round, their faces surprised, then scornful. What could a young girl do to them? Just as I reached them I heard the clang of steel and one of the men dropped down dead. I stopped and looked to the spot where the man had been standing. In his place stood a figure covered in shadow, all I could make out were those emerald eye. For a moment I thought it was Sir Guy but they lacked that cruel glare. I was jolted from my thoughts by the sound of more steel being drawn, I spun round and realized that there were more of the attackers. The guards didn't stand a chance. They were cut down where they were standing. I nearly shrieked as one fell dead at my feet, and I would have had one of the attackers not clamped their hand around my mouth. I struggled, trying to fight him off. In the end I bit down on his fingers, he yelped and jumped back. I spat on the ground, the taste of blood filled my life. I noticed he was bleeding slightly. It was just a small cut, but he was glowering at me.

The first attacker I had seen had already disappeared, along with the boy that was being beaten. There were there were two other men standing in front of me, though. One of them was just out of boyhood, he was around seventeen, just older then me. And the other one. The other one was roughly twenty, dark coal black eyes stared out at me, full of hatred. This man was dangerous, I could tell. But he didn't seem evil. My mother always used to say that the eyes were the window to the soul, and his just didn't have that cruel glint.

"What shall we do with her?" asked the younger one. The dark haired man stared at me, deciding. "She could tell someone what she saw. It's not safe to keep her alive." Maybe, I decided, I was wrong.

Out of no here I heard a voice shouting. I would have turned but I didn't want to turn my back to these two strangers. "Leave her alone!" I heard the voice call. I recognised it immediately. That voice was the voice that used to scare away the nightmares, the one that I felt safe with. It was Jon. Jon Little. One of my dearest friends. He skidded to a halt next to me and looked the strangers up and down. I smiled, Jon was only three years older then me, but much taller and as fierce as a bear.

"Leave her alone." He repeated. But to my surprise the older dark-haired man spoke. "How do you know, Jon? She could betray us. She's a _lady, _it's in her blood." I looked at him was if he was crazy, no one spoke boldly to Jon like that unless you were either his friend or had a death wish. I was so shocked I almost missed the insult aimed at me. Almost.

"I know because I trust her." Jon replied. This amazed me even more. They knew each other! "She's not like the others, Will." He added sternly. I looked at the tall dark man who seemed to be 'Will'. He grumbled and studied me carefully. The younger man next to him looked thoughtfully, "I say we take her back." Both of them looked down at him in surprise. Especially Will. "Take her back? What the devil are you talking about Allan? We can't take _her _to our camp." Allan straightened up and gazed defiantly at Will. "We could blindfold her, I think he should judge her. Its the best choice." Will glared at Allan, I got the impression that them two argued, often and loudly.

"I think Allan's right," came a quiet voice behind me. It was Jon. "We should take her back. Rob will know what to do with her." I glanced from his face to the other two. "Where and too whom are you taking me?" I asked hesitantly. Will smiled cruelly before replying. "We're taking you into the forest. To the Outlaws, and to Robin Hood." I gasped despite myself.

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Well, what do you think? Hope you like an review or my sporks shall get ye!

And many thanks to skrblr...for making my stories that much better (She's my editor...)


	2. An Adventure

crimebuff: Thanks, hope you like this next chapter.

skrblr: (I can write your name without checking how to spell it...how kewl am I:)) My sporks are fighting alongside the choppersticks and the flying gorillas! They shall squish your ketchup sachets.

Garen Ruy Maxwell: Thanks and that jazz. The boy they were beating up was Much!

BTW- I just re-did this chappie, I didn't like some of the bits in it. You'll notice Marian is alot more quieter in this one.

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The wind whistled through the wet trees as I walked in between the outlaws, Will behind me, Allan at the front, and Jon beside me. The blindfold rubbed constantly against my skin, irritating me more than anything. The going was tough; as soon as the rain began to fall I started slipping. The mud splattered all over my silken dress and pale legs, my feet had long gone past cold and my shoes were beyond repair. They were dancing shoes, not shoes to go hiking in the forest with. Fat raindrops trickled down my neck, nestled in my hair and dragged down the edge of my dress. By the time we had entered the forest, I was ready to burst into tears. Thorny brambles attacking the hem of my dress and only Jon's guiding hand stopped me getting lost forever in the vast forest.

At last Allan spoke to me, "We are far enough, you could not get back even if we let you." His fingers fumbled with the knots for a moment then the blindfold fell away and the world of the outlaws appeared before me. I glanced at Allan in wonderment, even though his previous words did not seem kind, his smile was compassionate. As we journeyed deeper into the forest I noticed that the branches and leaves above became broader, thicker. Finally we arrived in a large clearing; half was shadowed by the canopy above, completely sheltered from the rain. The other half was utterly open to the skies. As I glanced around I saw nothing unusual, but the others had stopped. I looked around again; I could see nothing. "Why have we stopped?" I asked them, puzzled. Jon smiled slightly but before he could speak I studied my surroundings. Finally, I saw it. In between the many trees, hidden cleverly in the undergrowth were campfires. Small stools that at first (or second) glance looked only like part of a tree root. Their houses, small huts settled in between trees and covered with moss, leaves and shadowed with branches. Even small ropes leading from one tree to the next, disguised as long branches. The outlaw camp was hidden, masked by the forest.

"Finally!" The sudden sound in the distance startled me; I stepped instinctively behind Jon. "I thought you'd never see it," The voice called out to me. "Maybe you're not as witless as the rest of your Norman race." I felt like crying out but restrained myself. I tried to peer through the heavy rain to see the mysterious silhouette but it was impossible. Within moments he crossed the stretch of land that was the clearing and was standing in front of us. I surveyed him; taking in every detail. Dark brown hair in small curls rested on his brow, bright emerald eyes shone, full of life. He was dressed in plain green cloth, the same shade as the forest around us. He held himself proudly, tall and lithe. His eyes were ever roaming; it was obvious this was not a man who could stay still for long.

"Who are you?" I asked, my head held high though my stomach was fluttering with nerves.

--- --- ---

In the distance I saw four figures enter the camp, but I was already aware of their presence. Two scouts had come to warn me several minutes earlier, and all I had to do was wait. Three I recognised -- one was like a small giant. That could only be Jon Little. Another, tall with dark hair, had to be Will and the other, quite small with bright red hair, Allan. The foruth and last I had only seen briefly a few hours ago; petite and maybe slim underneath those outrageous dresses that were fashionable with the Norman ladies. As they stopped at the far end of the clearing I saw the girl glance round. At first she didn't seem to notice anything. After a few tries she saw our camp; now she knew our secret.

"Finally!" I cried out dramatically. The poor lass jumped at least a foot in the air, and automatically hid behind Jon. "I thought you'd never see it. Maybe you're not as witless as the rest of your Norman race." I spoke in jest as I strolled towards them; but the young girl obviously did not think so. She looked ready to strangle me. As I approached them, she looked me up and down with an accusing glare. I gazed, spellbound, at her. I had never seen a Norman lady up close. Auburn locks of hair encircled her face, eyes, bright blue, but with slicks of grey so dark that they looked silver, eyes that were full of suspicion, fear, pride, complex and many other emotions.

"Who are you?" she asked me, somewhat defiantly. I grinned at her; her lips trembled slightly as she tried to control herself.

"I believe it is only etiquette that the guest introduces herself first; but maybe manners are not prized as much in the lives of the noble Normans. Therefore I shall turn a blind eye to your rudeness; my birth-name is Robert, to most I am Robin, to my enemies I am Robin of the Hood, leader of the notorious Outlaws brotherhood, and to the story-tellers I am the mysterious spirit of the green man that lurks amongst the trees." I paused, hoping to humour her and waited to see if she would reply. When she did not I continued. "And I believe you are Lady Marian Locksley, heir to the great halls of Locksley manor?" She raised a slender eyebrow.

"That is true. Now may I ask why your men have dragged me to your lair, so unceremoniously?" Her voice was cold as she struggled to cloak her emotions.

"My men do naught without good reason. I am sure that they shall explain all soon, and now to get us out of the rain and into the warm. I would not have it said that Robin of the Hood let his first noble, female visitor catch her death out in the cold."

--- --- ---

Jon hurried me through the rain that poured down on all sides, soaking my auburn hair. I soon realised that a small hill stood out before us; Will stepped forward and started to feel around in the thorns and moss that covered one side of the hill. Suddenly he stopped, and knocked on the hill. To my surprise, the sound was that of hollow wood. And to my further amazement, a door opened out of the hill. As I peered in, I realised that the door had been built into the hill and the vegetation was disguising it. Several ladders unfurled from the 'door' and down into a passageway. I peered round in pure wonderment. There was one small room directly below the 'door' and as I looked down the corridor I saw it went of into a room the size of one of my Uncle's small halls. And from there several more doors led off into different directions. "Impressive, is it not?" I turned to see Robin gazing intently at me. He quickly diverted his gaze and carried on. "Legend has it that once, long ago, there had been a war that raged over many years. Apparently this very place was one of the halls that the great lords in those times used to rest and hide from their enemies. It is where we store our supplies, sleep during the winter and hold our councils. Some of our forced 'guests' have been here, but they were all blindfolded all the way and only shown one room. You are the first to see it all, with almost completely unrestricted eyes." There was something in his voice made me hesitate, he was waiting for me to say something.

"Why have you let me see it then?" I asked, a little bothered -- did they think that just because I was a woman, a female, that I was not as dangerous as any man? Almost as if he had read my mind, Robin answered. "My lady, I did not mean to offend you. It is simply because you have Jon's trust, and I in turn trust Jon with all my heart." I felt slightly shocked; I had not known that Jon trusted me so. But I had been feeling that emotion quite a lot over the past hour: since Jon had rescued me from Will.

"Jon may trust her, but I do not." We all turned to see Will glaring furiously at me. "She is a noble woman, and a Norman as well. She will betray us, like the rest of her treacherous race." His savage words vexed me greatly; what had I done to deserve such a harsh welcome? Robin must have known, as the others must have as well, for they all tried to smooth Will's unexplainable anger towards me.

"Come now Will," Allan spoke. I had not heard him speak since it had started raining so his voice took me by surprise. It was soft, melodious and gentle. His pale blue eyes were full of warmth, not a spark of the cruelness I had expected from the outlaws shone there. "Does she look like one who would betray us? And you forget, her parents were good people. 'Tis her Uncle whom you hate..." His voice trailed off as Will glared at him, angrily. Jon, seeing that a fight would soon start if the pair was not separated, interrupted.

"That is enough. Will, come with me. We must go see to the latest hunt. Allan, you can...you can go and do something else." Allan smiled ruefully. "It is my turn to take the watch over the front entrance." With a slight nod he left to go to the 'door' we had entered through. Jon and Will made their way elsewhere leaving me with Robin. "Shall I take you to a room where we may talk?"

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I seated myself on a small stool opposite a flaming fire; Robin sitting a few meters away. I trailed a finger around the hort table; several arrows were scattered on the floor, half finished. And a quiver hung on a nail in the wall to accompany them. This, I guessed, was Robin's bedroom.

"Tell me, you live with your uncle, is that true?" Robin asked me. I nodded but said nothing.

Then, "Why does Will hate my Uncle so?" I asked him bluntly. A few moments passed before he replied, during which he studied me carefully.

"I heard from Jon that you hate your Uncle aswell. What grievances has he caused you?" Robin asked, avoiding the question.

"Many." I spoke carefully, considering my words. "I am not his daughter and he has never treated me as if I were. Only an ungrateful niece he has been forced to foster until I come of age. And then I, if I desire it, I can fight for my inheritance and take back the lands that were once my fathers." I sighed and shook my head. "He would do anything to get rid of me, sell me of to the highest bidding lord."

--- --- ---

I watched her closely as she spoke softly about her Uncle. Her soft locks of hair tumbled down her back as she shook her head in sorrow, the subtle colours catching the light of the fire, illuminating her sweet face and silver eyes. "Your Uncle was involved in the slaughter of many outlaws that happened not ten years ago. Men, women, children; all murdered with not a hint of mercy. Some of us escaped, Will, Jon and I among them. Many I knew died there. Including Will's parents, Jon's sister and my own brother, Louie. Will has never forgiven him, nor his partner in murder. A devil of a man, by the name of Gisbourne." I glanced over at Marian to see how she reacted. True to my thoughts, she looked shocked.

"Gisbourne!" she cried. "Guy of Gisbourne! That is that man my Uncle wishes me to marry." I nodded and turned to look into the fire.

"I know. Word reached us from one of our spies in Locksley manor. The man heard Gisbourne and your father talk of it late one night. You were right when you said he wanted to be rid of you as soon as possible. You are not like the other women." I smiled at her. "You are different, others have laid out a path at your feet but I do not think you mean to follow it." _From what Jon has told me of you, you will not break without a fight. But you seem so quiet, so silent. What mysteries do you hold underneath your defensive cloak? _I thought silently to myself.

--- --- ---

So the man I was to marry was evil, a murderer and feared by even the Outlaws. I did not know if the latter was a good thing or not. As Robin looked into the fire, I watched him. "You are different." He spoke softly to me. I could not tell if it were a compliment or not, so I remained silent. But from the fact that he had mentioned Gisbourne with forced casualness, I knew something was up.

"Why did you bring me here?" I demanded.

"You are an intriguing woman. Your future, as I already told you, has been laid out before your feet. Jon spoke of you often and with great pity, he told me that you were being submerged underneath your Uncle's tight rein. You are a born lady and yet you would sit in an underground room on plain, rough wooden stools and not complain." The flames flew higher and higher in the hearth; orange, reds, yellows. All mixed together. "I wanted to know more about you. And the fact that you had seen some of my men at work made them bring you here. Will, and even Allan, were not sure if you were to be trusted. Jon was." He added the last part, almost as an afterthought. I was amazed yet again by Jon's faith in me. I knew that he had not wanted me blindfolded, Will had insisted, but I had the impression that Jon had felt guilty afterwards.

"Why did Jon not tell me that he was an outlaw?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from me.

"He was always your true friend, Marian. He told me that. His duties as a spy always came second, you came first. He loves you dearly. I believe you put him in mind of his sister. He talked about you in the same way. But he did not want you to be afraid of him, simply because he was an outlaw. Your reaction to the news has actually been quite good. Many women would have broken into long fits of sobbing and tears." Only then did I realised that he was right. I had adjusted to the situation very quickly, and it had been many long minutes since I had felt afraid of the outlaws.

And Jon, when Robin had mentioned Jon's sister, I had felt a great surge of pity. But to know that Jon treated me as he had treated his dead sister, I felt guilty for having felt betrayed by him. I could not look Robin in the eye, for I suspected he knew what I was thinking. Instead I looked at the wooden door, neither me nor Robin facing it. It was not handsome like the ones at my Uncle's manor, no gold lined it and no impressive guards stood before it. But it had its own beauty, standing tall and sturdy. Always there, always standing guard at our backs. A small hole was situated in the corner where the guards could look through in case they suspected anything inside. I heard the shuffle of a guard's feet as they passed on his or her patrol.

"If that is it then, you can go home tomorrow. We did not know if you could be trusted before, but now I do. It is too dark now, but tomorrow Jon shall take you back."

I felt slightly confused -- why drag me all the way here, only to dismiss me after a brief talk? I suspected that he had some deeper plan in mind, but I did not question him and simply turned to leave. Then I stopped.

"Robin, may I ask you a question?"

--- --- ---

"Jon shall take you back," I told her. But something did not feel quite right. There was something unfinished, something yet to happen. What, I did not know, but there was something.

"Robin, may I ask you a question?" Marian asked me. I nodded and she sat back down. "You hate Gisbourne, more than I do. I barely know him, but you have seen his terrible work." She paused, and gazed into the fire before continuing. "I do not want to follow the path of those he has murdered before. I ask you now, will you help me?" Her question took me by complete surprise, and it seemed to shock her too.

"Help? How can I help you? I can not battle Gisbourne. I can not fight for your freedom, no matter how much I would wish for it. He is guarded day and night, with an army of soldiers around him. And the risk to my people would be too great. I am sorry M'lady, but I cannot help you."

"But you can," Marian exclaimed. "I am not asking you to fight him for me, but I do wish to be free. And you can help me. I wish to join the outlaws, and the rest of you here."

I sat there, gaping. The thought of a noble woman, a Norman at that, begging to join us was so absurd that it was almost funny.

"Join us?" I managed to stammer out. Marian nodded, thought she did not look like she was so sure herself. "But -- you're a high-born lady. You live in a huge manor, with servants to do your every bidding. And you wish to join us outlaws? We sleep under the stars on the warmest days, and underground on the coldest. If you were to live with us, you would have to work like us, you would not get any special treatment."

"I do not want any special treatment, I will work hard. I promise. I never cared much for silks and satins, as long as I can get away from _him!" _She gazed at me, her eyes full a pleading she did not want to show.

And that was what made me say it; "I shall think on it. And I must ask the others for their council."

--- --- ---

I lay on a cot full of straw in a small, underground room. After adjusting my position for the tenth time I sat up and put my head in my hands. Long, gentle, auburn curls tumbled across my face as I tucked my knees under my arms. My situation seemed hopeless; Robin was away deciding and remembering Will's feelings towards me, I did not have much hope. I was full of a restlessness I had never known before. No matter which way I turned, straw still stuck up into my hair. Somehow a cold draught breathed into my room, making me shiver. And the sounds all around me - I kept gasping, startled by some forest noise. I knew that I could not sleep. I stoop up, shivering and made my way to the door. It was unlocked, so I slipped out. Walking quickly down a narrow corridor, I reached the small hall where I could only guess that councils or meetings were held. It was completely empty, not a living soul disturbing the uncanny stillness. My footsteps echoed through the hall, I gulped and hurried forward.

I pushed the door that led to the the small corridor and the 'door' that we had entered from earlier. I could think of nothing else besides my need to be outside, in the fresh air. But just as I stepped into the corridor, I felt the cold caress of a blade against my throat. I froze. A man emerged from the shadows; his eyes such a dark shade of brown that they looked almost black. Will sneered and kicked the door shut behind me. We were completely alone, with only the flickering torches to watch us. "So, thinking of running away, were you, wench?" His voice was unnaturally serene, cold and emotionless. I tried to shake my head, but could not without cutting myself on his sword.

"She is with me," a voice called out. A tall figure came forward and placed a pale finger on the blade, pushing it away from me. "She is with me," Robin repeated. Will hesitated, as if thinking of still running me through. But in the end he put his sword away and moved aside, grumbling to himself.

Together, Robin and I made our way up the ladder and out into the open. We stood, side by side, for minutes on end. A full winter moon shone high above us. Soon it would disappear, pushed out of the skies by the sun until it slowly forced its way back up into the night sky.

--- --- ---

I watched the forest with a mixture of awe and wonderment; no matter how many times I had seen it, it never ceased to amaze me. The beauty wasoverwhelming. Tall trees stood, swaying in the gentle breeze. Their leaves rustled as they spoke to each other; owls hooted and flew from tree to tree while squirrels scuttled up the thick trunks. A gust of wind blew at us, its cold bite making me shiver. Even I, who was so used to the winter's chill, could not stand the forest's bitter breath if it breathed especially hard. I turned to see Marian looking up to the heavens, captivated by what she saw. The wind whipped her hair around her - it flew out behind in long, gentle locks. But even so, I saw her shiver. She closed her eyes and looked away from the brilliant moonshine.

"Marian, you're cold." I spoke softly. She said nothing back. I untied my cloak and tucked it round her shoulders; the dress she wore left them bare. As my hand brushed past her bare skin she shivered again and took the cloak from me. By herself she tied it up. "Thank you." Marian smiled at me.

I did not know what to tell her. She expected me to have made a decision by now but I had not. Everyone had told me their opinions. I had talked to Will, to Jon, to Much and Rebecca. And each had given me different views. I could not choose. I turned and looked into those blue eyes mixed with silver and saw the sorrow there. From her every movement, her every word, I could tell she had never experienced true sorrow or pain - but she knew of it. And her eyes were full of fear. I had told her the truth about Gisbourne, and she was frightened. I knew then what I had to do.

"You can stay m'dear," I spoke quietly. I heard her gasp as she turned towards me, her cheeks flushed red by the cold, her hair lying in gentle curls against my green cloak. "You may stay," I repeated. "But not yet. First we must plan."

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Review or else!

And thanks again skrblr!


	3. Capture

And for those who did not know, I edited the chapter before this one, just a little bit so you don't have to read through it but I will be giving an imaginary, invisible prize to whoever notices the difference.

Review or my trusty readers-that-don't-review-eating sporks will eat you!

skrblr: Yes we will be seeing more of each character in the chapters to come. And I advise you all to pay attention to the small details in the last chapter that will become important in future chapters. And Marian will develop more in the next few chapters. you can see what spoilt, posh little snob she really --- Oops. Said to much :zips mouth:

IsLaNdMoChAgUrL: Thank you thank you thank you. I am updating as we speak/type.

Hmm...I'm not to proud of this chapter, not sure I like the way their characters are going. Tell me how to improve please!

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Rain pattered on the glass windows. The light from the candles in my room cast strange shadows against the soaking window. I sat at my wooden desk, my journal and quill in hand. The moon shone strongly outside. In a few days it would be full, and then I would finally be free. I closed my journal and placed it in the small drawer at my desk, then locked it with my silver key. No one could get into my desk, I made sure of it. For if someone found my journal, then the whole plan would be ruined, and I would be forced to live my life in this cage. Locked away by the likes of Gisbourne, or my Uncle. As I stood up and looked around my richly decorated room, I began to think about my life, my future.

Robin had sent me back to Locksley Manor to the morning after our talk. He wanted me to get some information about Gisbourne before they came to collect me. Just little things - his most loyal, most trusted friends, his servants and what people thought of him. I often sneaked up to my Uncle's study where he would sit and talk to Gisbourne about their plans. Sometimes they would sit for hours, just talking. But I never heard anything worth hearing, though plenty was said of my wedding. My Uncle had not mentioned my marriage to me since that night, almost a moon ago. I had walked home the morning afterward, accompanied by Jon. He had simply whispered a word to the guards and they stepped aside. No one alerted my Uncle. I was astonished, and only beginning to see just how many servants were loyal to the outlaws. As Jon and I parted, he to the kitchens and I to my room, I met my Uncle. He looked me up and down, taking in my still damp clothes and un-brushed hair.

"Marian, where have you been? I was looking for you last night. Surely you have not been outside this whole time. Wherever would you have gone?" He stared at me with a fierce look in his eyes. I hesitated for a moment. I had never been very good at lying.

"I...I just went out for a walk this morning. Last night I was in my room..." I trailed off. He raised an eyebrow at me but said nothing more, dismissing me with a wave of his hand.

The candle by my bed suddenly went out, and my room was plunged into darkness. I could see nothing. For a moment I glanced round wildly, my mind panicking at the blindness, when I spied a glimmer of light. On the window sill sat one candle, burning brightly. I let out a sigh of relief as I walked across the room to get it. I placed it on my small bedside table and climbed into my bed. The covers engulfed me, warm and comforting, like a mother's touch. I had caught a slight cold from my mini adventure to the outlaws, and was still sneezing at random. For a moment before I settled down into a restless sleep, I paused to wonder how I would manage to survive among the outlaws. We would be sleeping outside in the summer, underground in the winter. Spending almost all day outside, hunting and cooking for myself. The idea repelled me, but not as much as the thought of marriage to Gisbourne. Just thinking of him frightened me, and as I blew out the candle I found myself wishing I could be as brave as the outlaws. They were so carefree, like a bird in the skies. Little did I know how wrong I was. Life among the outlaws was harsh in more ways the I could have ever imagined.

-------------------

The sun was setting as I stood outside my Uncle's study; I had been there only a quarter of an hour and already my legs were aching. As usual, I started to get distracted. The faint glow of the dying sun shimmered through the window down the corridor, casting rays of splendid light on the polished wooden floor. Suddenly a deep voice from inside my Uncle's study made me pay attention. It was Gisbourne's voice. He rarely spoke - most of the time he simply listened as my Uncle told him of this plan or that person.

"That is all very well. But I have more important news." Gisbourne's voice sounded a touch impatient, for a moment I thought I heard a glimmer of excitement.

"What? What did you hear? Is it about--" Gisbourne must have nodded or something for my Uncle stopped mid-sentence.

"Yes. They are coming for her, tomorrow night." At that exact moment I felt myself grow cold, a fearful shiver running down my spine. The very air that I breathed seemed to be poisoned. _They know, _I thought bleakly._ Oh lord, they know. _My head was churning as I struggled to clear my mind. _I have to get out of here, and fast. _Without further thought, I got up and carefully made my way down the corridor. Someone had told Gisbourne about the Outlaws plan, but who? I was so deep in thought that I collided with a short stocky soldier who had just turned the corner. We both jumped backwards, as if bitten by a snake, and stared at each other for a few moments. Then suddenly he reached out and grabbed me by the wrist; no matter how much I struggled I could not free myself. I shook my head, trying to think why this strange soldier would attack me like this. I looked up and realised that I did not recognised him. He was not of my Uncle's guards. He dragged me towards the door, I heard raised voices echoing through the corridor.

"We cannot let them escape alive. They will wait outside the gates and Marian will go to them. But if she doesn't come, they'll know something is wrong. They will send someone inside, he said that they have a spy in the castle. But the stupid boy wouldn't say who," Gisbourne's voice grew darker and I heard a hand slam onto a table. "He's protecting them! He's still protecting them even though he is about to betray them. I have a feeling that he only bears any ill will to Robin of the Hood and a few others. He also seems to have a grudge against your niece."

"A grudge against Marian? Who on earth could hold anything against the girl? She's too stupid to offend someone personally, especially an outlaw," I heard my Uncle scoff.

"I do not know the reason. Nor do I care. We pay him well, get him a pardon. As long as I can have the pleasure of tying a noose around that bastards neck, I am satisfied." My Uncle cackled and I heard the tinkle of wine pouring into a glass. Then Gisbourne laughed. It sent shivers down my spine, freezing me to the spot. It was not a laugh, it was the sound of evil. This man, Gisbourne, was the most vulgar, inhumane person I had ever met, or ever would meet. It was at this point that the guard that held me pushed open the door and threw me in; I fell onto the stone floor and knelt in the dust. The anger in my Uncle's eyes frightened me, but not as much as Gisbourne's. He looked down at me serenely, but his eyes betrayed him. Full of malice, just looking into them set me trembling. Any brave, fearless hero would have fought them, or at least ran. But not me. I was frozen with an unadulterated fear. The soldier who dragged me in stood proudly before Gisbourne. As I glanced from one to the other underneath shadowed eyes, I was surprised to see how alike they looked.

"I found her sneaking 'round outside. Who is the wench?" he asked, staring at me with a hungry expression. Gisbourne smiled down at me, his eyes bearing down on me. From his sly grin, I guessed he was very pleased, and that could not bode well for me.

"'Tis Lady Marian, Lord Locksley's niece. And she'll have naught to do with a young rascal like you, Eric. Take the traitor down to a cell, but keep your hands off her." Eric looked alarmingly disappointed but grabbed me by the arm and dragged me down the corridor with two of Gisbourne's personal guards.

I was hauled into a small cell in the lower part of the castle. Eric looked longingly at me, staring at me before throwing me into the cell. I stared back with pure disgust through my eyelashes with pure disgust. When at first I had thought he was very much like Gisbourne, I now saw I was wrong; he was of a medium height, with hair so pale it looked silver. While he had some of the ageless look that Gisbourne possessed, one could tell he was quite young. His eyes were cat-shaped but watery-green, pale and insignificant beside Gisbourne's sharp emerald ones. And his chin quivered; he had a weak chin and seemed to be weak not only in body, but mind as well. Like a poor copy of Guy. But I was still scared of him, though he was more arrogant than powerful. Cruel in crude ways, not sly like Gisbourne. _And not as dangerous,_ I thought hopefully to myself as I settled myself down on the cold, stone floor without even my cloak to shield me from the chill.

--- --- ---

I paced the short space in between the two trees impatiently. "Stop that Robin," Rebecca whispered to me. "'Tis getting annoying. She'll be here, if Jon says they will come, then they will come." As I continued to pace, Rebecca shook her head and turned back to Locksley Manor. Suddenly a movement in the bushes caught our attention; we both jumped up, blades at the ready. A tall figure strolled in, followed by a shorter one.

"'Tis only us. Put those swords away, before you poke someone's eye out," Jon called out to us. But I was not in the mood for jests.

"Where is she? Where is Marian?" I asked, concerned. Jon exchanged a worried glance with Much then looked back at Locksley Manor, avoiding my stare.

"We don't know Rob, no one's seen her all day. But you know she wouldn't miss this, something's happened..." his voice trailed off. Rebecca sighed and stood up, stretching her arms before sliding over next to Much; he wrapped an arm around her waist but stayed silent.

"Well, we'll have to help her then, won't we?" I said, but it was not a question. "It shouldn't be that hard. Jon, you work there, and the guards are not exactly loyal to Lord Locksley; we could slip in easily." I looked round at my friends, my brow furrowed firmly. I had made up my mind. I was known to be extremely stubborn. Rebecca lifted a delicate eyebrow and looked directly at me, her blue eyes boring into me.

"Robin," she paused. "Why must we do this? Is she not just some Norman lady? Why must we risk our lives for her? Will she not just run home in a fortnight, tired of our way of living? I think I am starting to see what Will was saying." Will had bluntly refused to accompany us that night when I told him of my plan.

"Jon knows her and says she is a decent woman, and I promised her. Robin of the Hood does not break his word easily. However, if you do not want to risk your life I understand." Rebecca sighed heavily and shook her head at me, but she made no move to leave. And so it was decided. We were to steal into Locksley Manor, Jon would bribe a few trusted guards, then we would just inquire after her from some loyal (to us, that is) servants. Well, it sounded simple at the time.

And so we slipped through the gates. Jon stayed a few moments, whispering with the guards. He hurried back, his face pale and worn with concern. "What is it Jon?" I asked.

"I am not sure, Robin. I heard from the guards that Marian has not been seen all day. He heard from the gardener who heard from the message boy who heard from the cook who heard from her sister's friend's cousin," Jon paused to take a breath before carrying on, "that he had not heard from his sweetheart all day, and she was one of Marian's handmaids." I raised an eyebrow, copying Rebecca's infamous gesture, and shook my head at him.

"You worry too much Little Jon, though maybe your message has some truth. We must stay alert." Much rolled his eyes, as if we would do anything but. Jon just nodded, but there was doubt in his face; he led us on. We followed him in, through the kitchens and down the deserted corridors. Everything was going simply enough, but it seemed too easy. Something at the back of my mind was whispering, trying to be heard; but what, I did not know.

We finally reached her room on the third floor. All was silent. Jon lay a large hand on the heavy wooden door and opened it slowly. I tightened my grip on my bow as we peered in; there was nothing there. I sighed with relief and relaxed. Too soon. Several men jumped from the adjoining rooms, their swords drawn. Much cried out with surprise as he drew his daggers; but I knew we could not fight and win. I grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him out of the room. But not in time. An arrow came flying through the air and embedding itself in his thigh. I quickly helped him up, one arm under his shoulder and the other fending of the men. We half-ran, half-limped down the corridors, but more men were pouring out of every room. I looked to Jon, for he knew the manor better than we did; for a moment the tall man hesitated, then he pushed us down a side stairway. We followed him blindly, Rebecca slightly in front of Much's small figure and me at the rear. Jon slammed against a small door that led off into a bedroom. We looked around wildly but Jon knew what he was doing; he showed us to another adjoining room and down a small staircase.

We leapt down it, running as if the devils' dogs were snapping at our heels, though some would have said that was true. Finally we reached the bottom where a small, plain door stood before us. Rebecca, who was at the head, pushed it open and a cool breath of fresh night air greeted me. We froze, hidden in the shadows, and stood straining our ears for the slightest sound. We heard none.

"What do we do now?" Much asked, his face flushed and contorted with pain. I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration, my mind in a whirl, trying to think of something that could get us out safely. The guards would be ordered to lock the gates and shoot anyone unfamiliar, and while we had a few friend in the guards, we did not know if they would be so loyal as to risk their jobs, and punishment for them and their families. I would not ask it of them. Suddenly an arrow came whistling down from the guards tower and landed two feet away from Jon. It looked like I might have to ask them after all. We could see the soldiers running towards us. Any closer, and they might not miss their mark.

"Listen, I have a plan that may let us survive," I whispered urgently. "You run for the gates. The guards are the same ones that let us through. Make it look as if you have over-powered them and escaped, that way they do not get in trouble." Jon eyed me suspiciously. "Go! Now, quickly!"

"You're coming too!" Jon told me while Much kept glancing over his shoulder at the approaching guards.

"No! They'll be after us in moments, I'm going to fend them off. Now go!" I pushed them gently in the direction of the gates but they did not shift. "Now is not the time to be stubborn! Only you, Jon can carry Much, and Rebecca will have to fight, for you cannot do both." I tried to sound confident but in truth I was shaking inside, scared to death. There were too many men for me to fend them all off _and _escape. But I had no choice if I wished my friends to have a chance of survival.

Jon took one last look at me. I stared back with what I hoped was a confident face, though I know the fear showed clearly, then he took Much into his arms and ran off into the darkness with Rebecca at his heels. I turned and faced the men and prayed that my hands would stay steady. I put an arrow to my long bow and drew the string, carefully taking aim before I released it. I did not have many arrows, and I was planning on taking as many as I could down with me.

Soon they were too close for me to use my bow so I dropped it and drew my sword; finally they reached me. I jumped forward, forcing them to focus on me and not my escaping friends. A few had gone after Jon, Rebecca and Much, but Rebecca's arrows soon stopped them in their tracks. I was not so lucky. Within moments they surrounded me; I fought with all my might. My sword became part of my arm. As I fought, slashing, parrying and dodging, the blade seemed to awaken and have a life of its own. Whether it was that, or just basic instinct, I automatically knew where to place my blade. However, my blade and I could not stand against ten experienced men. Three already lay on the ground, their life blood spilling over our feet, when they over-powered me. A sword came out from behind and stopped at my throat; we all froze. I did not even dare to blink as I watched the blade mist over with my breath. I glanced round at the other soldiers, wearily, wondering if they were going to kill me. Out of the corner of my eye I searched for the tall figure of Jon or the smaller shadow of Rebecca; I could not see them_. Maybe they've escaped_, I thought. But at the back of my mind, a false hope would not be pushed out_: Or maybe they came back for you_. I could not help but hope, even though it was not very courageous of me. I did not want to die.

Suddenly a shadow loomed over me. I looked up and came face to face with a heavily-bearded man. Flame-like hair sprouted from his head while equally red bristles covered his face; his eyes scrunched up, scrutinising me. He was so close I could smell the faint stink of ale on his breath, see the dark bags shadowing his eyes.

"Is this him?" he asked, spit springing from his fat lips. One of the soldiers nodded nervously. "Well well well. Listen _boy,_ you're going to come with us now. And you're going to come quietly." _Or else. _His voice trailed off, the silent threat following it. "And we are going to take you down to the dungeons. Later, when his lordship has awoken and is comfortable, he will see you. 'Til then you may keep Lady Marian company." He stared at me, his mouth forming an unpleasant sneer. I made a great effort to stop the quaking in my lip, and raised an eyebrow. But inside my mind was churning. _He is talking to me loud enough for every man from here to the gates to hear him. _I lifted my eyes so they met his, and for one fraction of a second I could have sworn he had winked at me. But by the time I looked properly, he was sneering again. With the wave of a hand he dismissed us, and I was dragged off into the castle.

The guards were none to gentle and were obviously not of the Locksley household. As I was forced down the long corridor they all began to merge into one; one long corridor and one blurred crowd of soldiers escorting me through the never-ending hall. Eventually we reached the cells in the very pit of the castle, the belly of the beast.

I was thrown unceremoniously into a cell, the door closing with a heavy _thud _while I was still scrambling up. Suddenly I felt a hand on my arm, helping me up. I snatched it quickly away and glanced up. Long locks of thick auburn hair fell over one shoulder, grey eyes looking down at me, frightened and slightly bewildered. I grinned hesitantly and was rewarded with a small smile of her own. I stood up, carefully brushing off the dust that fell onto the floor tinged with red; I noticed Marian glance down at the blood trickling from my left shoulder but I shook my head. "'Tis nothing," I told her.

--- --- ---

I sat on the small pile of straw that had been thrown into the corner of my cell. My _cell._ I still couldn't believe what had happened. In a matter of moments, the plan had fallen to pieces, along with my future. No one had come to see me the whole day except for one guard who had brought me a plate of bread. Stale bread at that; it still lay in the corner where I had left it. I do not think I could have eaten anything. My stomach was whirling as was my mind. "What is going to happen to me?" I wondered aloud to myself. There was only a small window set into the wall with bars fixed across it, but it was enough to show me that the sun had set not an hour ago. I had already tried pulling at the metal bars but to no avail. They were set firmly. I sat with my head in my hands, locks of auburn hair falling over my fingers and face. Then I heard a sound. The door creaked open as I jumped to my feet. But I held back, frightened. A small figure was thrown inside before the door was slammed shut. The streak of light that had flowed through was cut off brutally. The waft of dark curls covered his had as I knelt down and offered a hand, helping him up. Robin swiftly pulled his arm away from me, and struggled to stand up for himself. He brushed a small cloud of dust from his clothes. It fell to the floor, stained with blood. A few droplets of blood trickled from his shoulder. "'Tis nothing," he spoke softly to me. I nodded and decided to keep my distance from him, After all, I barely knew him.

"What happened?" I finally managed to dig up the courage to ask. Robin did not seem to hear me as stood, examining his wound. I stood as well, trying to keep still and silent, though inside I was ready to scream and claw at the bars across the windows that stood between me and the freedom of the outside. A cold breeze wafted through the window, caressing my hair as it grew more violent. Within minutes I was shivering from the cold, goosebumps appearing all over my arms. I must have let out a shudder or some other noise for Robin turned towards me and shook his head quietly.

"I'm sorry my lady," he stammered. "I have not been very..._comforting_." He paused, sighing slowly before continuing. "It was a trap. I think the others got away." He glanced towards me, before saying, "I am sure that you will not be harmed, M'lady." I stared, open mouthed at him. He was so polite compared to how he had acted towards me just a fortnight ago. _Dangerous times must make people change, _I thought. I was also amazed that he was so brave, to fight a whole group of armed, grown soldiers to defend his friends. It was like something from a legend.

A few more minutes passed in silence as we both studied each other with occasional, sly glances. He looked almost exactly as he had a fortnight ago, though he was covered in cuts and bruises, and seemed exhausted. I nodded absently and took my place in the corner of the cell, trying to fight the cold that seeped through the cloth and into my skin. Robin started to pace up, down and round the small cell, as if on patrol. He paused by the window, then walked on; he paused by the door and listened, then walked on. It became an infinitely looping routine that you could almost tell the time with; walk, pause, walk, pause, walk, pause...but it was strangely soothing. My heart started to settle. My eyes drooped as my body realised that it had not slept well that night. My mind started to drift as I finally relaxed, comforted by the thought of another human being nearby, no matter how un-sociable and distant he was.

The door swung open, letting a chilling breeze storm through the tiny cell and pull me from my thoughts. In burst three heavily armed guards. One was the soldier named Eric, and the other two were wearing heavy helmets, only their eyes showing through the small, dark gaps. After them two other figures entered, Malus Locksley, my Uncle, and Guy of Gisbourne. I jolted up as if an electric charge had run through me. Robin simply stopped and stared at the men coolly. If only I could be so calm, so collected in the face of danger; I was always the one who would run if I could or even worse, freeze to the spot. My Uncle and Gisbourne carried on their conversation, as if unaware of the fact that we were standing less then two steps away from them.

"It shall be done," my Uncle spoke softly. It was obvious that he was about to add 'My lord' to the end of his words, but he hesitated and stopped. I remembered Gisbourne speaking to me the first time I met him, _"I am no _Lord_, Lady Marian, I am a knight." _He had spoken with disgust then, and now glared at my Uncle with the same contempt.

"My lady Marian," Gisbourne suddenly turned to me, his voice rumbling through my thoughts. "I hope you have not found it too disturbing to share a cell with an outlaw for a few hours." I could not draw my face away from his eyes, sparkling with malice and joy at our suffering. Thankfully Robin spoke and Gisbourne's gaze was ripped away from me.

"What will happen to us?" he asked bluntly. My Uncle started to speak angrily, but Gisbourne cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"You, my good outlaw, will be hung tomorrow morning. I hope you appreciate the timing." Robin smiled bitterly and said nothing. Gisbourne then turned slowly back to me. "Plans for you, my lady, will not be changed. The day after tomorrow we shall be wed, and you shall live with me in my home." I started to shake 'til tears trickled down my cheeks. Robin delicately ignored my tears. I was thankful for that at least. With those final words, Gisbourne bowed mockingly to me and left, with my Uncle in his shadow. Eric hesitated for a few moments as he sneered at us.

"And don't even think of escaping. We know your plans. _We_ know what _you_ do not. _We_ know who the traitor is, the spy." He glanced down at me. "My sweet, sooner or later Gisbourne will be bored of you, and when it happens I will be waiting." With that he left, staggering arrogantly out the door and leaving us with the two guards.


End file.
